Love's Pride
by shopgirl152
Summary: In the end, pride will always win over flirting; even when the attraction's obvious. Topher/Ivy one-shot


**A/N**: Just a little sub-scene from "A Spy in the House of Love."

* * *

"Be nice to her; I think she likes you."

Topher did a double take at Victor, who was heading out the door on yet another engagement with Miss. Lonely Hearts. He smirked in amusement. "Victor telling _me_ to be nice to Ivy?" He blew a raspberry. "Yeah, now there's something; a _doll_ giving _me_ advice." He shrugged, disappearing behind the computer. "Okay, this goes here…"

"Topher?"

Topher jumped up, banging his head on the bottom of the computer console. "Ow!"

Ivy raised an eyebrow. "Oh, the blonde neurosurgeon _god_ just hit his head on the computer console." She rolled her eyes as she handed Topher a juice box. "And here I thought you were a genius."

"Hey, I'll have you know that if it weren't for me, it would take an _entire_ _day_ to imprint actives." He took a sip from the juice box, grinning like a little kid. "But, because of me, it only takes seconds!" He grinned triumphantly.

"Whatever." Ivy walked over to Topher's desk, plopping down in the chair, putting her feet up on the desk.

"Ivy? Babe? What are you doing?"

"Getting comfortable."

"In my chair? _My_ chair? My ergonomically-engineered-specifically-for-Topher office chair?"

Ivy smirked; she loved getting on Topher's nerves like this. It made work more interesting. "Yep." She took her feet off the desk, swiveling around in the chair, facing Topher's computer. She moved the mouse. "What's this?" She pointed to what appeared to be a grocery list that popped up on the screen.

"That is--hey!" He raced over to the computer, hurriedly shutting off the monitor. "Don't touch that!" He looked at her in annoyance. "That is for me only."

"Gee, sorry to mess you up; I didn't know it was so _precious_ to you." She smirked. "Your list of inappropriate starches." She got up, walking around the room. "Where is it Topher?"

"Uh…where's what?"

"Your stash of inappropriate starches? I know it's here."

"I…what? Psht…I don't have a drawer of inappropriate starches; Adelle wouldn't allow it."

Ivy walked down the stairs, looking around at the couch and trampoline. She headed for the lamp over by the chair, pulling out a drawer. "Aha!" She held up a bag of potato chips, grinning triumphantly. "Adelle won't allow it, huh?" She smirked.

Topher rushed down the stairs, snatching the bag of chips out of Ivy's hands. "Shh! If Adelle gets word of this, she'll fire me!"

Ivy raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you being a little over dramatic? Besides, Adelle's not here remember? She got called into Rossum today." Icy snatched the bag back from Topher, plopping down on the couch.

"Either way, I don't want her to find out, so put the bag back!" Topher made a grab for the bag, only to fall onto the couch.

Ivy laughed. "You're so uptight Topher. Relax." She popped a chip into her mouth. She chewed, thinking.

"Oh no, I know that look. That's the look you give me when you think I'm a lunatic."

Ivy glared at him. "You _are_ a lunatic; a neurosurgeon lunatic." She lifted the bag away as Topher made another grab for it. "You want the bag back? You want to keep your little drawer-of-inappropriate-starches a secret from DeWitt?" She pulled the bag away again. "Let me create an imprint."

Topher laughed ruefully. "Oh no. Ivy, babe, this is…_highly_ classified stuff. Not everybody can do this kind of stuff."

Ivy scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Please. I know enough about this stuff to completely re-wire it." Topher's eyes went wide. "Oh." She paused. "That didn't sound good, did it?"

"Uh…no, it didn't." Topher snatched the bag of chips away from Ivy. He looked at her suspiciously. "You're not going to _actually_ rewire the whole system, are you?" He laughed nervously.

"I might…" Ivy trailed off, wriggling her eyebrows. Topher gulped nervously. "Oh relax Topher; I'm not going to touch your precious imprints. Geez."

"Ya know, you shouldn't go around scaring people like that; you're as bad as DeWitt."

"DeWitt's worse."

Topher fought back a smile. "Yes, DeWitt would indeed be worse."

Ivy walked over, pointing to Topher's lips. "Was that a smile I just saw?"

"No."

"Yes it was."

"Uh, no it wasn't."

Ivy laughed. "Whatever you say Topher." She walked over to him, gently sliding her hand down his arm, gently taking the bag of chips from him. "See ya."

Topher stared at Ivy, dumbfounded, watching as she walked up the stairs, back toward the makeshift kitchen. He grinned as he picked up a nearby wrench, heading back toward the computer console. He looked toward the kitchen, watching as Ivy started putting away the groceries she had walked in with. "Uh…Ivy?"

She poked her head around the corner. "_What_?"

"I…I mean…um…will you bring me another juice box?"

She rolled her eyes as she popped back into the kitchen. "I live to serve."

Topher groaned in frustration, getting down on the floor, burying himself in the mass of wires behind the computer console. He grumbled. "Stupid Victor; got me thinking about Ivy this way."

"Juice box?" Topher looked up, finding the straw of a juice box staring at him. Ivy raised an eyebrow. "You _did_ want another juice box right?"

Topher hesitated. "Yeah…thanks." He took the juice box, preparing to go back to work. He poked his head out from around the computer console, watching Ivy. He set the juice box on the floor, standing up. "Ivy, I—"

"For heaven's sake Topher; would you just admit you like me already?" Topher stared at her, dumbfounded. "Yes Topher, I know you like me; I can tell by the way you look at me. But if you think that I am just going to sit here and stand by you and serve you and—" Before she could finish, Ivy found herself wrapped in Topher's embrace, his lips pressed firmly against hers. She pulled away, staring at him, wide-eyed.

Topher chuckled softly." You were saying?"

"Huh?"

Topher chuckled again, pressing his lips against Ivy's, then resting his forehead against hers. "I believe you were saying something?"

Ivy blushed. "Oh. That. It—it means…it _meant_ nothing."

Topher smirked. "Suure it did."

Ivy pulled away. "Whatever Topher." She grinned, slapping him playfully on the shoulder. "Get back to work."

Topher stared at her, a cocky grin on his lips. "Okay." He walked off, then stopped, turning back around to face her. "But you know…Ivy, babe…that kiss? It was meant for you." He pursed his lips, making a kissing sound.

Ivy rolled her eyes as she headed back to the kitchen. "Whatever." She looked down, hiding the blush that was slowly spreading across her face.

Topher smirked as he walked back over to the computer console. "Gets 'em every time. Yep, I am a _Casanova_." He stooped down behind the machine, hiding the grin that tugged at his lips, his face flushing. "Maybe I _should_ be nicer to her…"


End file.
